1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to a display card for merchandise and to a method for manufacturing the same. More particularly, the invention relates to a display card for merchandise that includes a means for releasably securing merchandise to it, so that the card may be shipped and displayed without the merchandise becoming accidentally dislodged from it. Specifically, the invention relates to a display card that includes a plurality of adhesive strips for releasably securing the merchandise to the card.
2. Background Information
Retailers frequently use clip strips or clip sheets for displaying products that are too small to place on shelves or products that are seasonal in nature. These clip strips or sheets are positioned in strategic locations around the store to entice consumers to buy the merchandise displayed on the strips. The strips or sheets are hung on other product displays or on shelf supports so that they do not take up valuable shelf space.
The clip strips and sheets used in the prior art are typically manufactured from a lightweight plastic that has been die-cut to produce a plurality of upwardly extending pegs that are each flanked by two downwardly extending legs. The products for display need to be mounted onto a cardboard backing sheet that includes an hole toward its upper end. The peg of the clip strip is inserted through the hole and the legs engage over a portion of the uppermost end of the cardboard backing sheet. In this manner the product is attached to the clip strip or sheet. The attachment of the products onto the clip strip or sheet is a labor intensive operation inasmuch as every single product has to manually be mounted onto a peg on a clip strip. Once the products are mounted onto the clip strips or sheets, they are packaged and sent to the retailer. During transit, the products tend to become disengaged from the pegs. It is common for retailers to find that around 50% of the products have become detached from the clip sheets or strips during transit. It is then up to the retailer to utilize their employees to reinstall the products onto the strips. The clip strips or sheets are then hung onto the displays or shelf supports so that consumers can see them.
Apart from the disengagement of the products from previously known clip sheets and strips, these merchandising products have also had other disadvantages for the retailer. The first of these is that a fairly limited number of products may be displayed on any one clip strip or sheet. Secondly, when consumers remove the products from the clip strips, they may accidentally disengage other products from the strip. Thirdly, once a peg has been used, it tends to become slightly deformed and consequently if a consumer attempts to reattach products onto the clip strip, they tend to fall off again. After a few attempts the consumer is likely to give up and place the product on another shelf. This leaves the retailer with the problems of not having products adequately on display in the store and secondly of having to repeatedly reattach products onto the strips or sheets. Even if the products remain on the sheets the displays tend to be messy in appearance. This does not enhance the aesthetic appeal of the clip strip display and does not aid in selling the product.
The device of the present invention addresses some of the problems of the prior art.
The device of the present invention is a display card that includes a means for releasably securing a product to it. The means is preferably an adhesive applied to the sheet that allows products to be directly applied to the sheet, to be removed therefrom for inspection by the consumer and repositioned on the sheet with ease. The display card includes an adhesive applied to at least a portion of the surface area of the card. The adhesive is of such a type that it allows for repeated application and removal of the product from the card. Furthermore, the adhesive preferably has a pull strength in the range of 6 oz./sq. in. to 64 oz./sq. in.
A method of manufacturing the display card of the present invention is also provided. The method of manufacturing includes applying adhesive to at least a portion of the surface area of a sheet of suitable material, positioning the product to be displayed onto the card so that the product adheres to the adhesive and then boxing product-laden display cards for shipping to the retailer.